Secret Cove Brewing

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“In like a lion…” they say about March. Well, it sure is looking that way, given the news of the world. There are bright spots in all of the doom, and hopefully we can offer respite and uplifting news to you, dear reader, as we do the tour de bière in our region this week. We’re kicking it off with a dozen releases coming out in celebration of International Women’s Day, March 8th, all of them featuring a charitable component as well! Let us dally no longer and get right to the great news.

We happily start the run of all the International Women’s Day releases this week with Breton Brewing out of Sydney. Waves Rise is a light and hoppy IPA, brewed to showcase the Pink Boots Society 2022 hop blend. This year’s blend consists of 30% Idaho Gem, 20% HBC 630, 20% Talus, 20% Triumph, and 10% Loral. The beer is 4.6% and 46 IBU and features a light malt base and moderate bitterness that lets the floral and herbal hop flavour and aroma shine. The beer will be released Tuesday for IWD at the brewery and online for delivery or shipping. A portion of the beer sales will be donated to the Every Woman’s Centre

Rothesay, NB’s Foghorn Brewing is up to year three for their Sparkölsch IWD brew. As with previous years, this beer was a collaboration with other breweries and organizations in the area, including Big Tide Brewing Company, Loyalist City Brewing Company, Picaroon’s General Store, Sussex Ale Works, Yip Cider, and Witch Craft Beer Society of Saint John. The beer itself is a fan favourite in the kölsch style (a lagered German ale) at 5%, but also featuring food grade glitter added at packaging for a fun visual element. Available on tap at Foghorn, at select tap accounts in Rothesay and Saint John, and a limited number of bottles are for sale at the participating breweries. Proceeds of sales are being donated to the United Way.

Brave Noise is a movement supporting and standing in solidarity with those who shared their stories about mistreatment and who are survivors of gender discrimination, racism, sexual assault, and harassment within the beer industry. It is also an international collaboration of 234 (and counting) supportive and like-minded breweries, committed to sharing (and maybe creating!) their Code of Conduct and donating 100% of the proceeds to women’s charities. Truro Brewing Company had their release in October 2021, with Big Spruce and Spindrift signed up to the project, and we’ll share the details once those beers are available. And there’s still time for others to sign up for the same, hint hint…

One of those “future releases” is from Landwash Brewery in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland. Brewed on February 23rd, Pink Shirt Day, the women and allies of Landwash took the stories amplified by Brienne Allan and Erin Broadfoot to heart, many having experienced or witnessed some form of harassment themselves. Following the Brave Noise suggested recipe, this is a low ABV hazy Pale Ale, perfect for enjoying a few in a session, while taking down the patriarchy. Ahead of the week of March 21nd release will be the publishing of Landwash’s Code of Conduct, visible to all who grab a can or visit their space. Proceeds of the beer will be going to organizations offering mental health support for workers in the craft beer and hospitality industries.

Miramichi’s New Maritime Beer Company is celebrating International Women’s Day on Tuesday with a new beer and event hosted by the Women of Miramichi Entrepreneurial Network (WOMEN). Starting at 6 PM, there will be yoga in the taproom (BYOM), lead by Heather Hutt, which will be followed by a brewery tour. Tickets for this option are available now. And at 6:45 PM the taproom is open to all who wish to taste the beer, and celebrate IWD2022, as Heather will be the special guest speaker for the event. Entry for this is by donation to Miramichi Emergency Centre for Women. About the beer… WOMEN Beer is a Raspberry Blonde Ale, brewed using the Pink Boots 2022 hop blend, which features its own charitable aspect, with scholarship funds directed at lifting up women in the brewing industry. 

North Brewing is releasing their own Brave Noise on International Women’s Day. Keeping with the suggested collab recipe, Brave Noise is a hazy Pale Ale that is tropical and flavourful, while taking it easy on the ABV. Partnering with Shoreline Malting, who donated the base Pilsen and Wheat malts, this is a juicy, light, pale ale with portions of sales going to Adsum House. This 4.5% beer will be available in cans from North’s 3 retail shops, or on tap on Portland Street, on Tuesday, International Women’s Day. 

In Saint John, Picaroons has brewed up their Dame IPA for the second year running. Brewed at Pics by a combined team from Picaroons General Store, Becky from Big Tide, and Gilliane from Uncorked Tours. Although they don’t have a charity component this year, they do have a baby component…Gilliane’s sister and partner in Uncorked, Nathalie, had her baby Jennie on January 17th, and Dame was her first brew. So if you’re grabbing a pint of the Dame, be sure to raise your glass to the little one!

A 100% women-owned brewery with a majority of female employees, Port Rexton Brewing has once again brewed Violet Femmes for IWD. A 4.6% dry-hopped kettle sour with butterfly pea flower to bring a natural purple colour, it is available now. All proceeds from the can, pint and t-shirt sales will be given to the women’s group of First Light and Marguerites Place with the St. John’s Women of Status Council. This is available at their St. John’s Retail shop and the taproom now, and heading to their usual outlets over the weekend.

Sticking in Newfoundland and IWD, Quidi Vidi is releasing Stronger Together, a Strawberry Blonde ale, for the second year in a row. A 5% Blonde ale that has a light malt body and a hop bill to match, this showcases a delicate strawberry aroma and flavour, with a bit of cherry coming through as well. This beer is available now for a limited time from the QV Hop Shops and most NLC locations. Quidi Vidi will also be hosting a Women’s Day mixer on Sunday March 6th from 12 – 3 PM, where we can celebrate together. 

Mahone Bay’s Saltbox Brewing is building on the popularity of last year’s IWD release, and bringing it back again! The Way She Gose is a gose, not surprisingly; think tart and fresh, with a touch of salt, to which SB added hibiscus for a lovely floral character and pink hue. It will also be sticking around as a spring/summer seasonal, which sounds great, at just 4.7% ABV! And keep an eye on the social media for their sister location, King Street Beer in Bridgewater, as they are releasing a new small batch product early next week to celebrate IWD.

Finishing up our IWD releases brings us to PEI, where Upstreet Brewing has a release of their own. Grisette is (you guessed it!) a grisette coming out on tap and in cans on Tuesday. The beer is sessionable and dry with some softer saison notes and a bit of a wine character on the finish to go with clove and banana yeast character. There is  a launch event at the brewery that you can check out here. They will be supporting  the Trade Herizons program through the Women’s Network of PEI. 

Jumping islands, Mount Pearl’s Landwash Brewery has a new Italian-Style Pilsner out. Terra is their take on a style that we are keen to see more brewers attempt. Originating with Birrificio Italiano’s Tipopils, the style is known for its crisp and dry body, and the use of dry hopping that differentiates it from its German and Czech counterparts. Landwash’s version uses imported Eraclea barely from Weyermann Specialty Malts, produced near Venice, to create a bready and honey malt profile. Additions of Monroe and Spalter Select hops add some floral and citrusy notes. Coming in at 5.5%, Terra is available now on tap and in cans at the brewery and should start seeing wider distribution this weekend. 

Down in Lawrencetown, Lunn’s Mill is celebrating its 5th Anniversary in style with the release of Cocobolo. This Milkshake IPA features hop additions of  El Dorado, Ekuanot and Sabro, leading to big notes of coconut and tropical fruit. In addition to being on tap all weekend, the 7% ABV Cocobolo is also available for takeaway in cans at the brewery and The Station in nearby Bridgetown. And speaking of the weekend, Saturday will see the crew celebrating the 5th anniversary at the brewery and The Station. The taproom will be serving cake with Jokers Right playing from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Tide and Timbre will be taking the stage at the Station from 7:30 to 9:30 PM. If you’re thinking of heading down, reservations are encouraged to ensure that you can get a seat. Happy 5 years to everyone at Lunn’s Mill from your fans at ACBB! 

Two breweries from Newfoundland’s west coast are also celebrating anniversaries this week and have marked the occasions with the release of a double dry hopped double birthday double IPA. Hoppy Birthday was brewed at Bootleg Brew Co. to celebrate their 4th anniversary, in collaboration with Boomstick Brewing who are ringing in two years in business. The 7.8% ABV leans into the hazy and juicy territory that DDH IPAs are known for, making great use of El Dorado and Idaho 7 hops. Cans are available now at Bootleg and you can likely still find it on tap at both breweries’ taprooms. Congrats to these two west coast gems! 

Jumping to the east coast of Newfoundland, Baccalieu Trail Brewing Co. is releasing Brighouse Irish Red. Brewed in collaboration with The Quay restaurant in beautiful Brigus, this 5.0% ABV ale features subtle notes of toasted bread and caramel. The name is an homage to the town of Brighouse in England, which is rumoured to be the namesake for the Newfoundland town of Brigus. Find it today at the brewery, Marie’s and other finer beer retailers on the Avalon, and of course, on tap at The Quay in Brigus (open until March 12). 

The hop hounds of Trailway Brewing have brought back one of their more unique offerings this week, and one of the few remaining examples of the style in the region these days: Velvet Fog is their Milkshake IPA, packed with hops, of course, but also featuring fruit (raspberry and tangerine this time), lactose, for body and sweetness, and a hint of vanilla. Like all good MIPAs, it’s soft and round with an almost smoothie-like mouthfeel. You’ll find it on tap and in cans from the brewery. 

In other Trailway news, they’ve also got a brand new offering that’s sure to please those looking for something a little lighter in the ABV department while still being heavy on the hops. Hu Jon Hops Light is what it says on the tin; a 4% ABV sessionable version of their long time flagship NEIPA: “Everything that is loved about Hu Jon, but in a smaller percent package!” Expect HJH Light to be a plenty hoppy, but also plenty light beer featuring tropical, fruity, dank, and pine notes. Look for it at the brewery and, we’re sure, wherever else you get your Trailway beer; we suspect this one will be in demand!

Cornwall PEI’s Village Green has another new beer on the taps this week, Other IPA. At 7.2% ABV and “bracingly bitter”, this is not shying away from what the style can offer! Featuring loads of Idaho 7, Simcoe, Amarillo, and Citra, look for citrus, pine, tropical notes, with a kick that will wake you up! Available on tap and to go in cans, along with a fresh batch of Modern Bitter!

Halifax’s Garrison Brewing has released a new sour beer, as well as a fresh batch of an old favourite. Mango & Dragon Fruit Sour is a mildly tart ale, which was blended with an infusion of mango, dragon fruit, and hibiscus to give a lovely blast of tropical fruit with a bold pink colour. For those afraid of the “sour” moniker, fear not, as there is some sweetness here to balance the acidity. At 5.0% ABV, drink a couple of these and you’ll be dreaming of summer before too long! Joining M&D is Pucker Up! Citrus, their kettle sour flavoured with additions of orange, lemon, grapefruit, and lime, in a respectful 4.9% beer. Look for both on tap and in cans at Garrison’s Seaport and Oxford locations, as well as farther afield soon.

New on tap at Lower Sackville’s TAPestry Beer Bar is an exclusive release from Berwick’s Smokehouse Nano Brewery. Smokestry Amber is a 5.8% ABV Amber Ale, showcasing caramel, bread, and toast notes from the malts used, with a balancing hop bitterness (to about 44 IBU), with a smooth and “I’ll take another” finish. Drop by TAPestry today for their Flight School Fridays, where your second flight is half price!

Tatamagouche Brewing is re-releasing its Gold Lotus DIPA. This 8% hop bomb features tons of fruit notes, including grapefruit pineapple, mango, strawberry and candied watermelon. Cans are available now at the brewery and for delivery through their online store.  

While not releasing one of their own beers for International Women’s Day, Good Robot is hosting “Yes We Can” in their taproom on Tuesday. Featuring Atlantic Canadian beers either brewed by women or created by breweries run by women, including Big Spruce, Bootleg, North, Port Rexton, and many more! All are welcome to take part in celebrating the best of the region’s brewing offerings, starting at 4 PM. More info here.

God damned millennials don’t want to work. But if they did, a bunch of breweries are hiring!! In addition to these, we encourage you to search Indeed, as there are even more hiring around the region.
(we’re just kidding about the millennials thing)

Wolfville’s Church Brewing is looking for a full-time Sales Rep/Brand Ambassador to pound the pavement around Nova Scotia (sales vehicle or automobile allowance provided), and occasionally beyond, supporting existing customers and winning new ones. This is definitely a self-starter role, where the successful applicant will be responsible for representing and being a spokesperson for the brand, managing their own administrative and logistical duties, and growing the business. A valid driver’s license and clean abstract is required. They’re looking to have someone in place for April 1, so if this sounds like something you’d like to do, check out the official job posting and get your resume in!

Halifax’s Good Robot Brewing is hiring for a few positions these days, including back of house in their kitchen (Sous Chef and Prep Cook), as well as at the brewery as Marketing Manager. Working with the Marketing Director and rest of the team, the position will support sales, social and creative groups, and collect insight from consumers and customers. This is a full-time permanent position, with benefits, so those who want a chance to do their best work with GRBC should apply today!

Back in Newfoundland, Secret Cove Brewing is hiring part-time bartenders and servers to join its team over the summer. If you’re interested, send a cover letter and resume to beer@secretcovebrewing.com

Further up the West Coast (ok, way up the coast) RagnaRöck is also looking to add to its team for the upcoming summer season. Part-time positions are available now for cooks and servers. Email ragnarock2019@gmail.com or drop by the brewery in person to apply.

 

We’re officially a month into fall, although you might not know it with the weather in most of the region over the last couple of weeks, and our breweries seem to have firmly turned the corner from traditional end-of-summer burnout to finding a second (third? seventh?) wind and stomping into the leaf pile with fun new liquids for all of us to enjoy, especially so-called “cooler weather styles.” With all four Atlantic Provinces now requiring patrons of indoor public spaces to be vaccinated, we remind you to make sure your documentation is in order before heading out for a pint and to above all, please have patience with (often understaffed) restaurants and bars as they continue to navigate a bunch of new processes and procedures that they never asked for, but have no choice but to participate in. In HRM especially, as we come to the end of burger week, remember that it’s been extra crazy here and maybe some additional patience (and generous tips!) are in order. And with that, here’s what you need to know about this week’s new beers and upcoming beery events.

Although the news hasn’t been super regular coming out of North Brewing in Dartmouth over the past few months, that doesn’t mean things haven’t been going on! An Insta update this week shows lots of progress on their new Halifax-side-of-the-harbour location in Timberlea, fuelling hopes that folks can be buying beer there before the holidays and making it a destination for a sitdown pint in the new year. Meanwhile, at their primary facility, they’re settling into fall and continuing to put out interesting beers – two weeks ago we told you about the Coco Pony and Beernana releases (which we’ve heard blend quite nicely together) – like this week’s new one, Chai Wala Stout. Partnering with Aman Dosanj of Paisley Notebook and, more appropriate to our purposes, small batch spice blend purveyor Edible Adventures, this one does what it says on the tin, pairing warm and comforting chai spices with a deep and dark malty beverage. Starting on the malt side with healthy doses of oats for mouthfeel, chocolate malt for color and roastiness, and lactose for some residual sweetness, the first dose of chai was added in the kettle during the boil (not unlike making tea), with a second extraction taking place on the cold side. As you might imagine, the result is a “rich, spiced stout, reminiscent of a sweet cup of masala chai.” You can find it in cans to go (and pints to stay!) at North’s Portland Street location and Battery Park, or for online ordering. And if you go to the source, and you find yourself thinking, “I’d like to have some of this spice blend that’s not already in beer,” you can buy pouches of this limited release blend at the brewery.

Truro Brewing Company has released a new Hazy Pale Ale this week, and are taking part in the world-wide Brave Noise Beer collaboration. In May 2021, Brienne Allan of Notch Brewing in Salem, MA, shared her story of descrimination and misogyny while working in the beer industry, and asked other women in beer to share their own. This launched wave after wave of people sharing their experiences, and ignited a flame to call out bad actors in the industry, and make beer safer and more welcoming to all, including women, LGBTQIA, and non-binary individuals. The Women of the Bevolution, Allan (who has since left Notch to pursue other endeavours), and Notch are hosting the collaboration to continue the momentum, and make real changes by encouraging breweries around the world to brew the beer, promote the movement, and donate funds to groups supporting related organizations. TBC’s Brave Noise Beer is a 4.5% ABV Hazy Pale Ale, featuring a base of Pils malt, with Oats to bump up the mouthfeel, with Sabro and Mosaic hops added late in the boil and whirlpool to contribute more aroma and flavour than bitterness. Bottles of Brave Noise are available now on Inglis Street in Truro, where it can also be found on tap for pints. TBC is donating proceeds from this beer to The Lotus Centre, a non-profit resource for women in Truro, offering counselling, programming, clothing, hygiene products, and much more, all free to their clients. While they are the first brewery in the region to take part in collaboration, we hope they are not the last! Interested breweries can sign up at the link above, it’s not too late!

Up in Port Rexton, the eponymously named brewery has a new beer released last weekend to celebrate friends and long time PR tap account, Adelaide Oyster House in St. John’s, who are celebrating their 7th birthday. It’s a Vibe is a mango guava wheat beer, super fruit-forward and decidedly crushable. Containing both mango and guava, of course, it gets an additional citrusy tropical boost from a small dry hop of Galaxy and Azacca hops. Finishing dry and coming in at a very quaffable 4.5% ABV, it’s the kind of beer one might expect could pair very nicely with oysters. Look for it packaged in cans at both of Port Rexton’s locations (HQ and the St. John’s Retail shop), and on tap at PR and Adelaide, of course.

Fully loaded with a new release this week is Antigonish’s Half Cocked Brewing with Braeside Bitter. Named after the once famed Antigonish bowling alley, “Braeside Lanes”, the bowling alley not only lends its name to this Bitter style ale, but the wood from lane 2 was donated to the brewery to create their bar top. It sounds like it’s going to permanently join the lineup at Half Cocked as this classic style is always a crowd-pleaser, whether you’re in England or Antigonish. Using all English ingredients to stay true to style, they just had to tweak their local water a bit to get what they were looking for. Bringing traditional flavours of a biscuit and caramel malt body, you’ll get notes of honey, lemon and tea based on their hop blend. This is available now on tap and for growler fills at the brewery. 

Always keeping us on our toes (and wishing that we could get there and try their beer!) Secret Cove Brewing is releasing Scoff, a 3% table beer.  As always, they keep with Newfoundland and Labrador themes and pride with their releases, staying true to their terroir, values and traditions. Made for gathering and doing things themselves, this beer welcomes all in a true East Coast spirit. This table beer is brewed with a variety of English hops bringing herbal and earthy notes, pairing with Vienna, rye and flaked barley in the grain bill. There is a lot in here for “just a 3% beer” to pair nicely with all your fall Newfoundland traditions of Jiggs dinner, deer, moose and game season. This is available in 473 mL cans from the brewery today and will likely make its way at various locations across the island in the coming weeks.

From the Lake City (Dartmouth), Lake City Cider has a new release in their Vine Series with Strawberry Pinot Grigio Sparkling Cider. In this series, they use their normal base of Nova Scotia apples for cider, but infuse wine elements from different grapes and sometimes fruit additions. In this release, the apples are complemented with Niagara Pinot Grigio grapes and local Nova Scotia strawberries. The result is a light and refreshing sparkling cider pairing well with many different foods. It’s available now in 355 mL cans and is 9%. You can find this at the cidery or online, and they deliver 7 days a week!

Staying in Dartmouth, New Scotland Brewing is embracing the fall weather by releasing Old Buzzard, a dry Irish Stout. This is a traditional dry Irish Stout with a bit of a twist (we’d expect nothing less from these brewers!) in the addition of locally roasted organic coffee and organic cacao nibs to enhance the flavour. Light in the mouth, dark in the glass, with lovely coffee and chocolate sweetness, it’s a lovely ale for the time of year. A special shout-out to Scott, a co-founder of the brewery (Mike is another founder and Head Brewer), who brewed this beer alongside the production team. It’s been awhile since Scott has been in the brewhouse, so definitely give him a shout-out if and when you try this one on tap. This beer is a very sessionable 3.7% and is available starting today (Friday) only on tap at their Downtown D-town brewery. 

Halifax beer drinkers have been spoiled with another great taproom addition, the Gottingen Street location of Tusket Falls Brewing Co. This week sees the release of Predictable Chaos, available in cans and for pints now. This 7.1% beer is being called a Blackberry Cinnamon Sour Crunch (queue the BJCP style writers scratching their heads). The kettle sour features additions of blackberries, cinnamon, vanilla bean and their in-house baked granola, which in our books, also makes this a perfectly acceptable breakfast beer. And for those on the South Shore, their brewery location is also carrying the Chaos.

Over on the Island (Prince Edward Island, that is), Modern Brewer’s Village Green in Cornwall has a brand new IPA to tickle your tastebuds and satisfy your hop cravings. Coastal avoids the great IPA beef of the 2010s by being “not quite East Coast, not quite West Coast, but definitely wet.” Leveraging classic citrussy Cascade, pithy, piney and resinous Chinook, and stone fruity and slightly tropical Amarillo, it’s got a classic aroma and moderate bitterness in a 6.1% ABV package. It’s already on tap for pints and in cans to go at the tap room in Cornwall; and if you decide to head down and try it or grab some to go, maybe give a thought to trying/grabbing some of their super-sessionable, eminently quaffable 3% Dark Mild.

In other Village Green new, they’re looking for part time bartenders. VG’s beertender/assistant brewer/tastemaker Mark Misener is heading to the Big Smoke to work at Bar Volo, and so there are big shoes to be filled! “Celebrating inclusion and diversity in both people and beer”, all are welcome to start or continue their beer career, by reaching out via email. And Misener will be pouring his last beers in Cornwall next Friday, so be sure to pop by for a visit before then to see him off!

What’s on the go this weekend? In HRM, tomorrow is the last day of Halifax Burger Week, so be sure to get out and support your local restaurants, breweries, and Feed Nova Scotia all in one trip! 

Some Moncton news from a brewery that always has updates for our readers, Tire Shack Brewing has a new beer release and a food event on Sunday. First up, the beer! We’ve had a few white stout releases over the last few months and Tire Shack is joining the fray, releasing Lavender-Chocolate White Stout today! At 5%, this is a white stout featuring both a flavour pop and smoothness from a mix of lavender and chocolate additions. Don’t let the appearance fool you, as this isn’t a classically dark stout, but it tastes like it could be! A limited release as it was brewed on their pilot system, it is only available for pints and growlers at the brewery. Come try it out on Sunday when they’ll be hosting Birria Dave’s at 1pm for Mexican street tacos. Last time they hosted this pop-up event, all the tacos sold out in 90 minutes!  

A friendly reminder that Halifax’s Stillwell Freehouse is hosting a tap takeover by Microbrasserie Les Grands Bois tomorrow. More details on the tap list and fun are available in last week’s post, and their IG page. And keep your calendar free for next Saturday, October 30th, as Stillwell on Barrington hosts Willibald Farm Distillery & Brewery from Ayr, Ontario, bringing a full dozen taps of beer, ranging from lagers to sours, stouts to Triple IPAs, with the folks from Willibald in the house to chat all things beer. We hear there will be some special food coming out of the kitchen too, so come both thirsty *and* hungry!

Those who have attended one of the many Craft Draught Showdown events at the Carleton in Halifax over the past few years know that they’re a great way to not only sample a bunch of tasty beers and enjoy some excellent food but to also have some fun in the process. So whether you’ve been and are looking to go again or haven’t and are excited to try it, you should be aware that these events are back, with one of the HRM’s newest breweries, Serpent Brewing out of Spryfield, taking on one of the oldest craft breweries in the city (and the province, and the region, really), Propeller Brewing on Wednesday, October 27th at 7 PM. As always, five food courses from chef Mathias Probst will be paired with a 4oz pour of a beer from each brewery. Patrons will vote for the most successful pairing with each course, with a winner declared at the end of the night. Tickets are $75, which includes tip but not HST ($86.25 all in) and, conveniently, can be ordered online. Seating is limited, as always, so we’d recommend getting your tickets soon if you want to attend this one!

We have a couple of quick hits from Dieppe before we dismiss you for the week. Be sure to visit your fave local good beer bar, restaurant, or brewery this weekend, to help them keep the great stuff pouring!

Up first is Flying Boats Brewing with Evil Lover, an 8% ABV Double IPA from their Test Pilot Series. This one features large hop additions for bittering (82 IBUs), and also during the whirlpool and dry hop to amp up the aromas of citrus, berries and apricots. Cans of Evil Lover are available now at the Dieppe taproom and through their online store. 

We’ll leave you with a new kettle sour from CAVOK Brewing. Long Weekend is a low bitterness and sessionable take on the style, with only 6 IBUs and 4.7% ABV. It’s available now in cans and on tap for pints or growler fills.

With the summer rush officially behind us, breweries across Atlantic Canada are turning their attention back to new releases and fun events to keep thirsty beer fans across the region happy.  Last weekend saw many breweries and beer drinkers partaking in the final Oktoberfest celebrations, soaking up the great weather and general good vibes. This week, we’ve got a bunch more new releases and some great events in Halifax and St. John’s to help you plan your weekend. This week is also the kickoff of the infamous Burger Week in HRM. A friendly reminder – be courteous and patient as your favourite beer bars and taproom restaurants deal with the onslaught of burger fans and do their part to keep us safe with the new vaccination mandates. Take a look below at what’s new this week and make some plans to grab some burgers, peep some leaves, and drink some tasty fermented beverages from your favourite breweries and cideries this weekend. 

Starting out on one of our favourite islands, Dildo Brewing had a few new releases over the last few weeks. We’re here to get you caught up to speed and help you quench your thirst for Atlantic Canadian beer! First up is Lassie, a Dildo take on a classic Northern English Brown ale. This dark ale has caramel hues of reddish-brown but well balanced with hop flavour and malt character. Very light and drinkable at 4.5% this beer uses a mix of English pale, biscuit, brown and caramel malts, all blending for a nice roasty flavour with some nutty and biscuit malt notes. Additions of fancy molasses helped develop a deeper colour and balance of sweetness, producing a lovely beer that pairs well with this season.

Second up from Dildo, Bitter Cold is another malt forward, easy-drinking ale. A 4.0% ordinary bitter, it has classic English flavour notes of orange pekoe tea and toasted biscuits. Both of these new brews are available in 473ml cans at the brewery, St. John’s store, and Marie’s, this should also be popping up at Orangestores around the province. 

Heading to another island (and another beer release last week), Big Spruce Brewing has a canned release of a beer that was at the Stillwell Beer Garden Oktoberfest. Festfriends is a German Festbier perfect for the time of year. This German-style lager is just what you’d want for your crisp beergarden bevvy taking you straight over to Germany. Featuring some toasted malt and biscuity notes from Pilsner malt, this 5.8% beer is available now in 473 mL cans directly from Big Spruce at the brewery or online. 

Back to the Rock, where just west of Stephenville, you’ll find lovely Port au Port and Secret Cove Brewing. Flake & Gunnels is a Double IPA named after classic Atlantic fishing terms (a “flake” is a platform to dry and preserve your catch and, if you were lucky, you were loaded to the Gunnels) this beer represents the families that harvest from the sea. Packed with those classic American “C” hops (Cascade, Centennial, Columbus, Chinook and Citra) and adding creaminess and body with flaked oats and flaked barley, this hop-forward, smooth beer brings flavours of juice, citrus, resin and pine. At 7.6% ABV with high juiciness and bitterness, cans should be available today from the brewery. We’ll end this blurb with a note straight from the brewery (and because this beer sounds so delicious) “Cod may be God, but We Love and Pray Hops.

Aaaand back to the mainland for a pair of new releases from Nova Scotia’s North Shore at Tatamagouche Brewing. Their Intertidal line of hop-centric beers continues with Intertidal Eclipse + Galaxy Pale Ale, leveraging both of these tropical and citrus hops in a Pale Ale. Available on draught at the brewery, and soon at better bars in HRM and beyond, cans should be hitting their shelves (virtually and on Main Street Tatamagouche) in the next week.

Available now in bottles is another in Tata’s exploration of barrel-aged beer, Petite Milo. Beginning life as a Golden Ale that was fermented and conditioned in some funky barrels for several months, it underwent a secondary fermentation with the addition of locally-grown Petite Milo grapes. More time means more character when it comes to these mixed fermentation beers, and PM is no exception. A touch of barrel pokes through the bright and tart beer, with vinous character from the grapes also making their presence known. Bottles are now available at the brewery and online, with just a few kegs available, so it should be popping up in the wild soon.

Never one to shy away from our weekly updates, Moncton’s Tire Shack Brewing has a very special release for a good cause today. A special freshly picked wet-hopped IPA is a brew for goodwill with all profits from sales being donated to the Moncton SPCA. It’s is 6% and the hops were hand-picked locally in Moncton by Tire Shack employees. While you can never be sure with backyard hops, the fine folks at the brewery believe it is mostly Cascade. There are only 100 litres of this beer and it will be available for pints only at the brewery, so stop by this weekend if you get the chance! 

On to another island, Montague, PE’s Copper Bottom is back with a fresh entry in their Flux series, a single hop feature constantly changing with new releases. This edition is Flux: Azacca a Session IPA clocking in at 4.2% and 20 IBU. This is hazy and sessionable, with the Azacca hops bringing out bright citrus notes along with stone fruits like mango and peach. Soft and smooth it has just enough bitterness to balance the grain bill of 2-row malt, wheat, and flaked oats and it’s available today in 473ml cans only at the brewery. 

Staying on PEI, another brewery with frequent releases is back with another one (DJ Khaled!). Village Green brings us Wheelie’s Hazy Pale Ale, a hop filled pale ale named after PEI’s famous haunted childrens toy (this is news to us, but it’s definitely creepy!), it features Citra, Mosaic, and Chinook hops (enchanted by the brewers to make it extra spooky). With that combo you can safely expect bold fruity, citrus-y, and piney flavours and a strong hop aroma. This beer release is paired with an event today at the brewery from 4:30 – 6:30 PM where you can see Wheelie there in the flesh (!) and $1 from every sale of the beer will go towards the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation

And one more time up to NL, where Ninepenny Brewing in CBS has also released an ode to a local celebrity (of sorts) this week, in collaboration with the Manuels River Interpretation Centre. MR1 is a 500 million year old trilobite fossil found along Manuels River by Dr. Riccardo Levi-Setti in the 1970s; it is one of the best preserved specimens of this species, and is proudly displayed at Manuels River. The beer is a kettle sour, conditioned on locally grown blackberries and blueberries from Walsh’s Farms in Colliers, as well as wild river mint foraged from near the site of the fossil discovery. At 4.9%, it’s tart, fruit, and refreshing, reminiscent of a fruited mojito. You can grab it on tap and in cans at the brewery, and can even grab cans at the Manuels River Interpretation Centre. And speaking of, the Centre is hosting their own Oktoberfest next Friday, Oktober 22, with a German-inspired menu, flights of Ninepenny, and live music. Check out their events page for more information and to book your spot!

As we transition from Oktoberfest to Spooky Season all across the region, Fredericton’s Trailway Brewing has decided that St. Patrick’s Day shouldn’t be the only holiday to have questionably colored beer and have accordingly released a Halloween-themed beer that looks like a witches’ brew! Spooky is a Raspberry sour that is very green (in colour, not flavour!), a 6% sour ale that is dosed with blue Spirulina powder to turn it into a hazy shade of green. Tasting both sweet and sour, reminding you of Halloween candy, it’s full of raspberry flavour and a bit of acidity and it’s available now in 473ml cans only from the brewery. 

Big news out of Greenwich/Halifax’s most clandestine brewery, Delta Force. For the first time, their beers are available via retail. The fine folks at Bishops Cellar will be stocking Anderlecht Farmshed Ale and Atlantic Time Bitter. Anderlecht is their Brett-forward nod to Orval, in the Trappist single style. Atlantic Time is an English-style bitter featuring PEI-grown malt and Delta Force’s own hops from the Greenwich area. To celebrate their retail debut, DF is offering a limited quantity 6-pack of some of their greatest hits, spanning several styles for your drinking pleasure. Home deliveries are available within a 1 hour radius of HRM. Hit up their online store for more details on how to order. 

And lastly for our news section (but bleeding into our events section), did you think you were going to get through a Friday Wrap-up without news from 2 Crows? Psshhhht; silly beer lover. We told you a couple weeks ago about the home and home collaboration between 2C and Bellwoods Brewery, including teasing you about the BW side of the release, the Crowbar IPA that was only available in Ontario. We also talked last week about the recent trend in lagers at 2C and specifically the Harrington released last week that was named after the variety of barley malted by Shoreline Malting and used in that beer. Would you believe all that naturally leads us to this week’s new release, almost as if someone had cunningly planned it that way?

Birds and the Bells is a “New Zealand Pilsner” which is the recent industry term for a Pilsner that’s hopped a little more than average, often late, and always with New Zealand hop varieties. Leveraging the same hop combo that was used in the Crowbar, this beer also exclusively uses the Shoreline Harrington malt. Mashed with their recently adopted regimen that promotes big and long-lasting foam, they really leaned into the hop side of things, with Rakau and Motueka added in the mash, at first wort, and then late. Fermented low and slow with Escarpment Labs’ Isar Lager, it was krausened and assertively dry hopped with plenty more Motueka and Pacifica plus a little bit more Rakau before being lagered for 5 weeks. At 4.4% ABV and 35 IBU, the result is a maximally crushable ultra crisp beer with some lovely and zippy hop notes, including lime and apricot, and big beautiful foam. Find it at the brewery or for online orders via their web shop, or, you could head down to 2C tomorrow (Saturday, October 15) from noon to 5 PM for the release party! There will be hand pies from Humble Pie Kitchen, bottle pours of some Bellwoods bangers courtesy of Bishop’s Cellar, and, of course, plenty of fluffy-capped Birds and the Bells streaming from the side pour tap.

A couple of things to tell you about today before we send you off to the great unknown…

St John’s Brewdock Beer Bar has always had gluten-free options on tap and on the food menu, but they are pulling out all of the stops this weekend, dedicating three of their draught lines to GF options (which is infinitely easier these days, with Port Rexton having a dedicated line of truly gluten-free options, including the recent Gluten-Free IPA and the newest Gluten-Free Sour, featuring a boat-load of Haskap berries). And Chef Chris Mercer and team in the kitchen have created more than a dozen GF food items, including baking and refining their own potato bun that is the base of either a beef or spicy cod burger. And in chatting with the Brewdock team, they expect to have a few of these items (and beer) on all the time going forward, giving those who live with Celiac Disease, or who just want to reduce their gluten ingestion, more options in their glasses or on their plates.

Mark your calendars for next Saturday, October 23, as the Stillwell Freehouse will be welcoming Microbrasserie Les Grands Bois, located in Saint-Casimir, Quebec. Founded in 2016 in a movie theatre built in the 1940s, Les Grands Bois has a wide portfolio of beer in house, and are sending ten of them to Agricola Street. From Grisettes, Kolsch, Pils, to New England and American IPAs, there promises to be something for everyone that day. And with it being the last day of Burger Week, you can try Chef Graeme’s house-made-beef-bacon- and cheddar-sauce-topped creation one last time… And in “It’s That Time of Year Again”, remember that the Stillwell Beergarden on Spring Garden is winding down for the season Sunday, October 17, so grab those afternoon and evening pints and Beverly Taco Service eats before they close the metal gates for another year. The good news is that Beverly are expected to be back slinging tacos from Sourwood Cider’s location on Cornwallis later this month.